Maternity and/or nursing breast support for fashionable woman&#39;s apparel

ABSTRACT

This invention provides women&#39;s apparel having a unique and improved maternity and/or nursing breast support and enables the wearer to comfortably and conveniently unsecure a flap on either side of the bra cup to have access to the breast, and resecure the flap upon completion of nursing. The garments may be designed for wear for all occasions and may be adapted to be worn by all women. The main inventive feature is a dynamic non-continuous support system with a plurality of pieces of fabric shaped to allow a sizeable opening in each brassiere cup. Each cup contains vertically oriented openings that allow access to the breast and at the same time leave room for expansion of the breasts. The left and right bra cups are diagonally and may be attached at the lower portion to narrow regions of a stretchable band in the waist region and/or laterally, to the side, thus providing flexibility, support and all the while, ensuring comfort for the wearer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of Provisional Application (serial No. 60/448973) entitled “Maternity and/or Nursing Breast Support for Fashionable Women's Apparel”, filed Feb. 20, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to women's apparel in general, and garments designed for pregnant and/or nursing mothers. More particularly, the invention comprises a maternity and/or nursing breast support that may be incorporated in women's garments to facilitate the process of breast feeding, while providing the mother with maximum comfort and support for her breasts. The embodiments of the present invention and related women's apparel serve two functions, to make the breasts easily accessible with minimum undressing, and provide support without having to resort to use of thick elastic materials or under wire. Countless designs exist, each with its respective strengths and weaknesses. The present invention fulfills the needs of nursing and/or pregnant mothers who are in need of an undergarment that provides the extra needed support for their enlarging breasts without subjecting them to unnecessary discomfort and even skin irritations or infections, or being limited to wear unimaginative and/or unfashionable women's apparel.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0003] The need for women's apparel suitable to make breast feeding possible without detracting from styling or aesthetic considerations has been recognized, and addressed by several issued United States patents, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,294; U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,404; U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,743; U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,227; U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,364; U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,725; U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,719 B1; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,699; U.S. patent and U.S.2001/0039672A1.

[0004] Previously relevant prior art has been directed towards underwear, sleepwear, dresses, blouses, lingerie and other underwear for the purpose of allowing mothers to breast feed without disrobing. Each of these garments requires the use of an incorporated or external nursing brassiere. These brassieres provide support in a similar fashion to that used by traditional brassieres. An inherent flaw in their design is that they cannot expand freely to allow for the swelling of the breast that occurs between feedings, and the nursing mother has to obtain larger sizes to ensure comfort. Elastic materials and wires used to provide support to the breasts allow some level of stretch but usually not enough, and as a result are uncomfortable, and along with sweating may cause skin irritation and itching in areas of contact. Mastitis may occur as a result of the constriction caused by traditional nursing bras.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,830, issued to B. E. White teaches a nursing brassiere with a shortened support wire that provides breast support under normal wear conditions. The brassiere has overlapping frontal portions each with a cuplike configuration for covering the wearer's breasts, and the lower portions of frontal portions are attached in their entirety, to a lower elastic sewn portion below the breast, which includes a wrap-around band. When nursing takes place, a frontal portion is pulled aside to displace the supporting wire and expose the breast for nursing access. However, this embodiment does not allow for comfort when the breasts swell with milk and cause stretching of the elastic wrap-around band and the under wire.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,719B1, issued to C. A. Vera and L. D. Tucker, describes a combination nightgown and bra for women after pregnancy; the bra enables the wearer to nurse her baby by unsecuring a flap on either cup and resecuring upon completion of nursing without the need for taking off any articles of clothing. The invention includes two triangular bra cups having an upper edge and a bottom edge; each of the upper edges is attached to a shoulder strap by a hook and loop fastener, and each of the bottom edges is attached in its entirety to an elastic band skirting all around to provide support. This invention does not provide for support and comfort of swelling breasts because both bra cups are fully attached at the bottom edge to the elastic band, and in the middle portion to each other. The elastic band is constrictive and may be uncomfortable when the breasts are enlarged. As discussed above, this along with sweating may cause skin irritation.

[0007] United States Publication No. US 2001/0039672 A1 filed by J. B. Force describes a nursing brassiere constructed as a garment in which the support is provided with cups which fit snugly to hold breast pads. The breast cup has: 1) a bottom frontal panel that is attached to a top panel constructed of a stretchable fabric and 2) a bottom frontal panel joined to a one and one half inches wide elastic band going around the diaphragm giving adequate support. Thus the flaw in this garment is the use of the stretchable fabric and the elastic band all around to provide support to the variably expanding breasts.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,404 issued to S. A. Clark describes a functionally coordinated nursing slip and a subjacent coordinated nursing bra which can be worn together or separately when desired. The slip bosom and the bra nursing flap open and close decorously and efficiently as a unit since they are surface connected. This surface connection also supports the slip when its shoulder straps are connected to open the unitary bosom, that is, the opened slip shoulder straps are retained on the bra so that they do not become lost during nursing under the wearer's clothing.

[0009] Thus, countless designs have been described, each with its respective strengths and weaknesses. Despite the myriad of choices available, there are still needs that are not met by the presently available options. In fact, the present invention was conceived by the co-inventor, L. L. Schneider III, when she herself was nursing her baby and could not find a suitable breast support that could be adapted for use in her maternity and/or nursing and later, regular garments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention provides a solution to the disadvantages mentioned above in the prior art, in that it provides support and access to the breasts without requiring additional support from elastic or other stretchable bands. The maternity and/or nursing breast support of the present invention allows the opening and closing of a breast cup to access breast milk for the baby by separating the top front panel from the shoulder strap by using one hand to open a fastening means and lower a flap of the top garment. The garment nursing flaps open and close decorously and efficiently separately since they are not surface connected to the strap panel means of the maternity and/or nursing breast support. When the flap is opened for a unitary bosom, the opened slip or garment shoulder strap is retained on the maternity and/or nursing breast support so that the flap does not become lost during nursing under the wearer's clothing and does not disturb the baby.

[0011] In a variety of different embodiments, the maternity and/or nursing breast support of the present invention may be incorporated into a slip, a night gown, a sun dress, a tank top, a camisole, a swimsuit, a blouse, a shirt, a sweater, a sport shirt, lounge wear, sleepwear, tee shirt, brassiere or a dress, with short, three quarters length, long sleeves or any style sleeves.

[0012] It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a maternity and/or nursing breast support that may be worn as part of a garment without the need for a conventional brassiere for easy access to the breast.

[0013] It is another object of the invention to provide a maternity and/or nursing breast support that offers support and is aesthetically pleasing. The maternity and/or nursing breast support does not require dexterous manipulation while the breast cup flaps are being opened or closed. The maternity and/or nursing breast support allows expansion and contraction of the nursing women's breasts comfortably. The ability to expand and contract is derived from the structural design of a dynamic support means, and the stretchable yet flexible fabric used.

[0014] It is yet another object of the invention to incorporate the maternity and/or nursing breast support into regular women's apparel that may be worn by women who are not pregnant or nursing, in this case, the garment flaps are stitched into the shoulder strap panel.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the maternity and/or nursing breast support is incorporated into a slip having a bodice and skirt.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the maternity and/or nursing breast support is incorporated into a slip which is in one piece.

[0017] In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the maternity and/or nursing breast support is incorporated into a dress with any style of sleeves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent after reading the following detailed description and referencing the drawings. In order to facilitate a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference is made of the drawings which should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary only and, which are:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a frontal view of the garment piece in the shape of a slip having a bodice and a skirt portion, the garment piece has attached to it a maternity and/or nursing breast support and a bra cup open.

[0020]FIG. 2 is a back view of the garment piece of FIG. 1, in the shape of a slip.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the maternity and/or nursing breast support or brassiere, with one side of the garment flap lowered.

[0022]FIG. 4 shows a frontal perspective of the maternity and/or nursing breast support or brassiere of the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a frontal view of the garment piece in the shape of a slip in the shape of one piece, that is, having no separate portions for bodice and skirt, the garment piece has attached to it a maternity and/or nursing breast support and a garment flap open.

[0024]FIG. 6 is a back view of the garment piece of FIG. 5, in the shape of a slip.

[0025]FIG. 7 is a frontal view of the maternity and/or nursing breast support or brassiere, with one side of the garment flap lowered.

[0026]FIG. 8 shows a perspective of the maternity and/or nursing breast support or brassiere of the present invention.

[0027]FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are frontal views of dresses with cap sleeves, suited with the maternity and/or nursing breast support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] This invention provides women's apparel having a unique and improved maternity and/or nursing breast support. The variously designed women's garments may be used by pregnant, nursing or any woman, because the maternity and/or nursing breast support provides proper support and enables the wearer to comfortably and conveniently unsecure a flap on either side of the bra cup to have access to the breast, and resecure the flap upon completion of nursing. The garments may be designed for wear for all occasions by a pregnant or nursing mother, and may be adapted to be worn by any individual wearer.

[0029] The main inventive feature is that the maternity and/or nursing breast support is constructed as a “dynamic support system”. The phrase “dynamic support system” as used herein means that the maternity and/or nursing breast support is not attached in its entirely along its borders to the main garment, or at the middle to join the two cups. That is, the maternity and/or nursing breast support is constructed in the proper shape of the cups with a plurality of pieces of fabric shaped to allow a sizeable opening in each brassiere cup. Each cup contains vertically oriented openings that allow access to the breast and at the same time leave room for expansion of the breasts. The left and right bra cups are not attached rigidly from the top to each other, but instead, are diagonally oriented to form a sweetheart neckline or a deep neckline, and join for a short length only at the center, to form a narrow joined portion. Each cup may be attached at its lower portion by the narrow joined portion to only very narrow regions of a stretchable and flexible band in the waist region, and/or to the side by a lateral support portion to the garment, thus providing flexibility, support and all the while, ensuring comfort for the wearer. The flexible and stretchable band support is made of stretch fabric to give the lactating mother additional support and comfort for her expanding and contracting breasts. The stretchable band may be made of the same fabric as the garment or of a different material.

[0030] The maternity and/or nursing breast support is attached underneath the surface garment at various locations, including the strap panels of the garment, at the lower portion of the bra cups to a stretchable and flexible band and in the side portions of the bra cups to the side of the garment. This support provides support to the breasts and does not require use of an under wire with all its disadvantages of discomfort, sweating or mastitis in lactating women, as is the cas in bra supports available currently. Two flaps extend from the garment apex on the left and right side, and are attached to the left and right shoulder panels respectively, to shield the maternity and/or nursing breast support and the breasts from view. These flaps extend over the structure of the maternity/nursing support to prevent inadvertent sighting of the support, and the flaps are attached by a closure means including, but not limited to snap closure, buttons, hooks, loops, hook and loop, hook and eye, VELCRO strips, ribbon ties or adhesive tape fasteners.

[0031] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments can be better understood if reference is made to the attached drawings for FIG. 1 to FIG. 10, in which:

[0032]FIGS. 1 through 5 show one embodiment of the maternity and/or nursing breast support incorporated in women's apparel, a nursing garment in the shape of a slip (100) having a bodice portion and a skirt. This garment is also suitable for use as nightwear, house gown, sun dress or regular everyday wear. Garment (100) accomplishes the purposes stated above by using the maternity and/or nursing breast support member having a dynamic support system with each bra cup having vertically oriented openings for access. Referring to FIG. 1, garment (100) includes an upper member (6) and a lower member (7). Upper member (6) further comprises a left and right shoulder strap panel (1). The straps may be made with fabric that is stretchable or elastic, extending from above the bodice to the back of the bodice in various lengths depending on the height and bust size of the wearer.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, representing the front view, strap (1) has affixed to it a member of the fastening means (5). The corresponding pair member of the fastening means (4) is affixed to the apex of the garment flap (3). The type of fastening means (4) and (5) used may be selected from the group consisting of snap closure, buttons, hooks, loops, hook and loop, hook and eye, VELCRO strips, ribbon ties and adhesive tape fasteners.

[0034] The maternity and/or nursing support breast support, shown in FIG. 4, comprises the shoulder portion (2) that is stitched to the shoulder member panel (1) of the garment, in the location of the fastening means (5). The maternity and/or nursing breast support member further includes a plurality of fabric members (2 a) and (2 b), shaped to allow a sizeable opening (10) in the center region of the bra cup, formed by vertical orientation to allow access to the breasts and to allow room for comfortable expansion of the breasts.

[0035] Members (2 a) and (2 b) are attached to a stretchable band 4 a at narrow portions represented by 2 b′+2B′ (FIG. 4), said band 4 a extending around the back to form a flexible and narrow band (4 a). The left and right portions (2 b) are not attached from the top at the middle portion of the chest, but instead, are diagonally oriented to form a sweetheart neckline or a deep neckline (16), said neckline (16) being properly located at a lower level than the garment neckline (15), and the lower portions of (2 b) join only for a short length (17) at the center to form a joined portion (2 b′+2 b′). that is attached to a stretchable and flexible band 4 a in the waist region.

[0036] In the frontal view only, a band (18) one to three inches in width, is stitched into the band 4 a such that band (18) lies in between the top garment layer and the support portion (6). Band (18) is attached to the side seams of the garment at (18 a).

[0037]FIG. 2 shows the back view of the slip (100), with the bodice (11), band (4 a) and the skirt (7) portions of the garment. Some of the elements described above for the embodiment used in a slip with a bodice and skirt are also described in figures representing the back views.

[0038] FIGS. 5 to 8 show another embodiment of women's apparel, a nursing garment (200) in the shape of a one piece slip (12). The maternity and/or nursing breast support in this style of the slip, is structured as described above for embodiment (100) but instead of the band (4 a), it further comprises a band portion (14) to which a plurality of portions (2 a) and (2 b) are attached, such that the unique features of maternity and/or nursing breast support of providing support and comfort are ensured by using a stretchable and flexible part of the garment. In this embodiment, alternative locations for support may be used, for example, to attach narrow portions of the side of the cups to narrow portions of the sides of the support itself, and/or narrow portions of the sleeve portion of the garment.

[0039]FIGS. 5 and 7 show the front view of the garment (200) in the shape of a one piece slip., in which there is no band (4 a) because there is no waistline, but instead there is an elastic, stretchable and flexible band (14) that extends all around the bodice below the breast line. The unique feature of this embodiment, is that the maternity/nursing breast support comprises a front portion and a back portion. The front portion is similar in some aspects to the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 to 4, but the back portion (19) is in the shape of a bodice, connected to the front portion at seams (20) on the side. At the upper portion of bodice (19), the maternity/nursing support is attached to the outer garment by seam (21). Both the front and back structures of the maternity/nursing support may be made from the same fabric as used for the top garment when the fabric is flexible and stretchable. The maternity and/or nursing breast support described in FIGS. 5-8 may also be used with the slip dress described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0040]FIGS. 9 and 10 describe yet two additional embodiments (300) and (400) of women's apparel having the maternity and/or nursing breast supports installed into the dresses with different styles of sleeves. The sleeves do not interfere with the operation of accessing the breasts. Similarly, the bodice of any type of women's apparel may be adapted to incorporate the features of the present invention, such apparel including blouses, shirt, sweater, other dress styles, sport shirt, lounge wear, sleep wear, bathing suit, tee shirt, brassiere, camisole or tank top. Additionally, numerous stylistic modifications may be made to the generally vertically, horizontally or diagonally oriented portions of the maternity and/or nursing breast support embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

sing support

[0041] The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the embodiment disclosed in the examples which are intended as an illustration of one aspect of the invention and any methods which are functionally equivalent are within the scope of the invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, any equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A maternity and/or nursing breast support comprising: a pair of brassiere cups, each cup having a shoulder strap panel means at the upper portion, each of said shoulder strap panels means being the point of attachment to a top garment, each of said brassiere cups having a plurality of pieces of fabric vertically oriented to form an opening positioned in the brassiere cup to provide access to the breast, and each of said brassiere cups having a lower portion and a side portion, a part of said lower portion is attached to the waist, and the side portion is attached to the side of the garment.
 2. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 1 further comprising a garment selected from the group consisting of a slip, a night gown, a sun dress, a tank top, a camisole, a swimsuit, a blouse, a shirt, a sweater, a sport shirt, lounge wear, sleepwear, tee shirt, brassiere and a dress, with short, three quarters length, long sleeves or cap sleeves.
 3. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the brassiere cups is diagonally oriented at the center to create a neckline that is below the level of the neckline of the top garment.
 4. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 3 wherein the lower portion of each of the diagonally oriented brassiere cup ends in a portion at which the cups are attached to form a joined portion.
 5. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 4 wherein the lower portion of the joined portion is attached to a stretchable band separating the bodice and the skirt.
 6. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 5 wherein the stretchable band may be made of a different or similar fabric to the garment.
 7. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 5, wherein a left and a right shoulder strap panel means of the maternity and/or nursing breast support are attached to the left and right shoulder panels of the garment, and said garment has a left and right flap portion attached at a point above the breast line, each flap having a fastening means to fit a corresponding fastening means located to each shoulder panel.
 8. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 7 wherein the fastening means is selected from the group consisting of snap closure, buttons, hooks, loops, hook and loop, hook and eye, VELCRO strips, ribbon ties and adhesive tape fasteners.
 9. A maternity and/or nursing breast support comprising: a pair of brassiere cups, each cup having a shoulder strap panel means at the upper portion, each of said shoulder strap panels means being the point of attachment to a top garment, each of said brassiere cups having a plurality of pieces of fabric vertically oriented to form an opening positioned in the brassiere cup to provide access to the breast, and each of said brassiere cups having a lower portion and a side portion, a part of said lower portion is attached to a flexible band extending all around the waist, and the side portions are attached to the side portions of the back bodice of the maternity and/or nursing support.
 10. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 9 wherein the garment is selected from the group consisting of slips, blouses, shirt, sweater, other dress styles, sport shirt, lounge wear, sleep wear, bathing suit, tee shirt, brassiere, camisole and tank top.
 11. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 10 wherein each of the brassiere cups is diagonally oriented at the center to create a neckline that is below the level of the neckline of the top garment.
 12. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 11 wherein the lower portion of each of the diagonally oriented brassiere cup ends in a portion at which the cups are attached to form a joined portion.
 13. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 12 wherein the lower portion of the joined portion is attached to a stretchable band separating the bodice and the skirt.
 14. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 13, wherein the stretchable band may be made of the same of different fabric as the garment.
 15. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 14, wherein a left and a right shoulder strap panel means of the maternity and/or nursing breast support are attached to the left and right shoulder panels of the garment, and said garment has a left and right flap portion attached at a point above the breast line, each flap having a fastening means to fit a corresponding fastening means located to each shoulder panel.
 16. The maternity and/or nursing breast support as recited in claim 15 wherein the fastening means is selected from the group consisting of snap closure, buttons, hooks, loops, hook and loop, hook and eye, VELCRO strips, ribbon ties and adhesive tape fasteners. 